Publisher Harper tells The Associated Press that Albom's "The Next Person You Meet in Heaven" is coming out Oct. 16. The novel is a follow-up to Albom's best-selling "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," which came out in 2003.

The new book continues the stories of Eddie the maintenance man and of Annie, the young girl whose life he saves while losing his own. Albom says in a statement Wednesday that readers often asked him what happened to Eddie and Annie. He says the "The Next Person You Meet in Heaven" was a "natural" for him to write.

"The Five People You Meet in Heaven" was adapted into a 2004 TV movie starring Jon Voight and Ellen Burstyn.

This cover image released by Harper shows “The Next Person You Meet in Heaven,” a follow-up to Albom’s best-selling “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” which is coming out Oct. 16.(Photo: Harper)